An Unlikely Evil
by Marnella
Summary: A new series. It takes place at Hogwarts, 18 years after their 4th year.
1. Upward Spiral

NOTE: Sorry, this is untitled! I need help with the series. I need suggestions for a series title, and the title of this chapter!  
  
  
Severus Snape took an uneasy step towards the Assistant Headmistress's desk.   
  
"Granger!" he barked.  
  
Hermione Granger gave an annoyed glance in his direction. "Severus, you may have been my teacher a while ago, but you're not anymore, and I would prefer it if you referred to me by my first name or Professor Granger. You are not a drill sergeant."  
  
Snape gave a slight sneer. "Oh, dreadfully sorry, Hermione. I was just wondering how you were coming on those letters."  
  
"Wonderfully, Headmaster," she sneered back at him, then grabbed a letter out of the pile and handed it to them. "I was about to send them off, but I suppose you'd like to review them. That's the only letter I haven't sealed yet, and I'd like it back soon so I may do so. Are the letters satisfac-" Her voice cut off as she looked at Professor Snape, who hadn't opened the letter yet. He was staring at the address on the envelope, clenching his fingers so hard the knuckles had turned white. One word came from his mouth, barely a whisper.  
  
"James..."  
  
"Sorry, what was that?" asked Hermione, and plucked the letter out from between his fingers and quickly sealed it and added it to the top of the pile. "Alright, Headmaster, will there be anything else? Severus?"   
  
But Snape was gone.  
  
********  
"Is Dad home?" James Potter called as he ran into the living room, his broomstick over his shoulder, his scabby, knobby knees sticking out of his baggy shorts like bird-legs.  
  
Ginny Potter smiled at her son as she walked into the room. Cradled in her arms was little Marie, sucking happily at her bottle. She pulled away quickly and gave her brother a toothless grin, then returned to feeding.  
  
"Your father's not home yet, but I expect he will be soon. I think his practice ended two minutes ago." Ginny glanced at the clock quickly, and saw that the hand marked "Harry Potter" was still at work. She was about to point this out to her son when she smelled a faint stench in the air. Looking down, she saw that Marie had finished her bottle and had busied herself otherwise. Sighing, Ginny scampered off to change her, ruffling James' shaggy black hair on her way. "Get cleaned up!" she called from the nursery. "Dad's taking us out to dinner tonight!"  
  
"Okay!" James shouted, and scampered up the stairs to his bedroom.  
  
********  
Hermione Granger was tidying up her classroom and organizing desks when Ron Weasley walked in and grabbed swiftly around the waist. She had been walking on eggshells all day, so it was no surprise that she gave a quick little shriek when he did. She whirled around quickly.  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Honestly, sweetie, if you think I'm that scary, you needn't have married me!" Ron gave her a smile, a lock of his bright red hair askew on his forehead. His freckles stood out on his pale skin, and as Hermione looked at them, they seemed to form pictures, like clouds.  
  
Hermione tried not to laugh, but couldn't help herself. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"  
  
"Sorry. It's so cold in the dungeons, and pretty creepy. If I hadn't come up I would have gone mad. No wonder Snape is like he is!" Ron laughed, but Hermione gave him a stern look.  
  
"I wouldn't talk like that if I were you. He can always fire you, you know. It's amazing that he kept any of us on the staff when he became Headmaster. Poor Neville was actually sending out resumes." Hermione chuckled and shook her head. Her once bushy but now sleek hair tumbled over her shoulder, and Ron was reminded of the Yule Ball in his 4th year at Hogwarts, when he had first discovered how beautiful she was.  
  
"Enough of this job talk. I have better ideas." Ron smiled and started to move the hands he had placed on Hermione's waist slowly upward, but she batted them away.   
  
"Not now, Ron!" Hermione giggled.  
  
"Just a kiss?" Ron pleaded. Hermione sighed and nodded, and was quickly drawn into a heartbreaking kiss by her husband.  
  
"EEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!!" came a voice from somewhere near the back of the room.  
  
Hermione pulled away and smiled. "It seems we are being spied on, dearest."  
  
Ron laughed and let go of his wife, then began to search the room. "Oh, Harlequin! Harlequin Weasley!"  
  
Hermione sighed. "I don't know why we gave her your name, Ron. It seems like Harlequin Granger would sound a lot better!"  
  
"Oh, rubbish, Mum!" called a voice, and Harlequin Weasley popped out from behind a desk with her red hair bouncing behind her. She ran and stood by her father. "Even with the name Granger everyone would have known I was a Weasley!"  
  
Hermione laughed. The two did look alike, father and daughter. In fact, if it weren't for Harlequin's slightly large teeth, no one would have been able to tell she was Hermione's daughter.  
  
"And you two were KISSING! French-kissing, too!" Harlequin teased.  
  
"We most certainly were not! Where do you get these things, I wonder?" Hermione said, being her usual stiff self.  
  
Ron laughed and gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek "So, my little jester, have you gone shopping yet? School starts in a week!" He dropped Hermione a sly wink.  
  
Harlequin gave him a gigantic smile and bounded off to find all her purchases. She loved shopping, but even more she loved going over what she had bought. When she left, Ron approached Hermione again, but she stuck a feather duster in his face.   
  
"No way, Buster! Can't risk getting caught by prying eyes again! Besides, don't you need to go prepare some lessons?" Hermione asked, then set about cleaning the room again.  
  
Ron chuckled. "Of course, of course. You know, if someone had told me when we were in school what I'd become, I would have called them crazy. Imagine, me, the new potions master!"  
  
Hermione pushed him out the door. "It always was your best subject! Now scoot, before your little jester pulls a joke and sends a certain Headmaster up here!"  
  
********  
Harry Potter smiled at the owl approaching him. He knew what it was, he could see the red seal on the envelope from here. The Hogwarts owl dropped the letter on Harry's head as he stood on his front porch, gave a dignified hoot, and flew away. Harry waved at the owl, wiped his feet, and walked inside.  
  
"Dad! Dad!" James cried as he heard the door close, and he quickly ran towards it. "Dad! Dad's home, Mum!"   
  
Harry swept his son into his arms. "And how's my big boy doin' today?"  
  
"So, Dad, did you win?" James asked, giving a quick look at his father's broomstick.  
  
Harry chuckled. "It was just a practice, son. Me an Alicia and Henry zooming around passing about the Quaffle, that's all!"  
  
His son gave him a wicked smile. "Alicia Spinnet, eh? You and her are just practicing, eh? Foxy!" James gave a high whistle like that of a tea kettle.  
  
"What is this I hear about you and that Spinnet woman?" Ginny asked mischievously as she walked into the living room, having laid Marie down for a nap. Her hair bounced around her olive complexion as she sat on the couch and gave her husband a false look of anger.  
  
"Nothing, Ginny, nothing." Harry laughed and gave his wife a kiss. "Just that she and I are running away tonight at sunset."  
  
James smiled. "So, did I get all dressed up for nothing? Are we going out or what?"  
  
Harry sighed and tromped up the hall to the bedroom. "Okay, just a sec. I need to go get changed."  
  
********  
Marielle Hawthorne lay napping while all this was going on. Napping, and dreaming, her eyes darting about quickly below her eyelids. Dreaming of what had happened only 6 months ago.  
  
She was laying, tired on her bed. Her chestnut curls were riddled with sweat, and her breath was haggard. She had just given birth to Ben Hawthorne, and he lay asleep with all the other babies. She smiled as she looked at the monitor. The nurses had bewitched her television so she could watch Ben in the nursery from her room.   
  
This hospital hadn't even wanted to admit her. They kept going on and on about Muggles not being allowed. But Thomas had convinced them. He had pointed out that this baby would have magical blood, and therefore they were entitled to be in this hospital. And it was all for the best, really. There had been barely any pain because of the amazing techniques these wizards used.  
  
Suddenly, a shadow in the nursery caught her eye. The figure moved into the camera, and Marielle recognized it as the man from the magazines her husband read. Somebody Potter. Hector or something. His black hair was flying in all direstions around a lightning-shaped scar in his forehead as he looked around. He had round black glasses on. Marielle was studying the subtle beauty of this man when another figure burst into view. This one she knew all too well. It was Voldemort, the man Thomas was constantly warning her against. He had his wand out, and was pointing it at the Potter boy, who was weaving in and out of the bassinets, groping for his own wand  
  
Voldemort hollered something, and even though the sound was off on her television, she could hear it from down the hall. "Avada Kadabra!" it sounded like. Whatever it was, it must have been bad, because nurses were either running towards the room screaming about saving the babies or running from the room screaming about saving themselves.  
  
On the monitor she saw a flash of green light, she saw that Potter man duck, saw the green light traveling over his head, at one of the bassinets. One particular bassinet.  
  
"Ben!" she cried, but her voice was hoarse from the labor. Suddenly, she felt something go out of her, towards her child, towards the man who sent the curse. When the green light cleared, her Ben lay there, lifeless, looking surprisingly peaceful. Marielle didn't notice that the Voldemort man was also laying in the corner, lifeless. She concentrated on that Potter boy, who had ducked and so killed her boy. That Potter boy was studying her son, a look of understanding on his face. She hated him. As far as she was concerned, he had killed Ben. He called out, and she could hear him from down the hallway.  
  
"Who is the mother of this boy?"  
  
Marielle remained silent.  
  
********  
As they drove to the restaurant, Ginny looked at her husband, and what she saw frightened her. He looked very upset.  
  
"Harry, what's wrong?" Ginny asked. She glanced into the backseat. Marie was asleep in her carseat, and James was reading a book, listening to The Weird Sisters on his Discman. When she looked at him, he smiled. She smiled back, then glanced at her husband. "Harry?"  
  
"I was just thinking about what happened at the hospital the night Marie was born. The night Voldemort was finally vanquished."  
  
Ginny gave an involuntary shudder at the name, but listened none the less. "Well, it was wonderful, Harry, you beat him, you beat that monster."  
  
"But it wasn't me who beat him!" Harry almost shouted. James looked up from his book in the backseat and Marie stirred in her sleep, a lock of dark red hair falling over her almost white skin.   
  
"What do you mean, honey? Of course it was you!" Ginny comforted.  
  
"Ginny, dear, you don't know what happened," Harry replied. "No one does."  
  
"Well, why don't you tell me?" asked Ginny. "Frankly, I'm curious as to what happened!"  
  
Harry gave a sigh. "Voldemort had chased me into the nursery. I really wanted to get out of there, because there were too many innocent lives to be taken. Marie was in there, something I am very grateful Voldemort didn't know. I had almost reached the exit when Voldemort cast the Killing Curse. I ducked quickly, and the curse bounced around the room. That what's awful about Avada Kedavra. If you somehow manage to duck it, it won't stop until it's killed something. And the curse did kill something. It shot right into a young child's crib and killed it. A baby."  
  
Ginny covered a gasp with her hand. "No...."  
  
Harry continued. "There was something in that babies veins. Purity. That's the only way to explain it. It's as if it was part unicorn. And you know what happens when you drink the blood of a unicorn. Voldemort had killed a pure creature, a helpless pure creature, and for it he was killed. Not by Avada Kedavra, no. I went over and examined his body when he died. There was a large hole in his chest, and this had been broken off inside."  
  
From his robes Harry produced a small, spiraled cone. It was easily recognized as the tip of a unicorn horn. "I called for the baby's mother, she must be an extraordinary person, but I received no answer."  
  
Ginny's mouth was agape, and she slowly took the unicorn horn from Harry and studied it. "Oh, Harry," she whispered.  
  
Harry parked the car and turned to James in the backseat. "Hey, you!" he shouted.   
  
James looked up and took his headphones off one ear. "Huh?"  
  
"We're here!"  
  
They all piled out of the car and into the restaurant. Harry and Ginny ordered Penne Alfredos, and James ordered a cheeseburger and a butterbeer. Marie was given a bottle.  
  
When they had finished their dinners, Harry proudly pulled the Hogwarts letter from his coat pocket. "James, you get to go to Hogwarts! It's your mother and my alma mater!"  
  
James grabbed the letter and smiled. "Too cool! Brandon is at Hogwarts, too!"  
  
Harry winked at his son. "I believe I remember you referring to Brandon's mother only an hour ago as 'foxy.' Will you be relaying that opinion to him?"  
  
James sighed. "You're gross, Dad. Hey, mum, doesn't Uncle Ron teach at Hogwarts? And Aunt Hermione? Oh, look, her signatures right here on the letter!"  
  
"What?" asked Harry, grabbing the letter. There it was, too. Hermione Granger, Assistant Headmistress.  
  
"Wow...I knew she taught, but she never told us she got promoted. Ron didn't say anything either. Must have just happened." Ginny said, reading over Harry's shoulder.  
  
Harry stared at the letter. "I can't believe those two got married. How old's their daughter now?"  
  
Ginny smiled. "Harlequin Weasley, age 11. Hey, she'll be starting at Hogwarts this year too. Maybe you, her, and Brandon will be like Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, and your father were at Hogwarts."  
  
James sighed. "I don't know. I mean, it's kind of weird. We're all cousins, you know. Brandon and Hermione even have the same last name."  
  
Ginny sighed. "That's what happens when one person has a big family full of cute people. Everyone's related to each other!"  
  
Harry smiled. "We'll go get your things tomorrow, James. Maybe we can even go shopping with Brandon!"  
  
********  
"Marielle?" Thomas Hawthorne called, looking around the house for his wife. There was a suitcase on the bed, half-packed. There was dinner, half-made in the kitchen. There were blankets on the couch, suggesting Marielle had just gotten up from one of her naps.  
  
"Marielle?" Thomas called again. Suddenly, he heard something behind him, and he turned around too late. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was his wife holding a gun by the barrel, like a club.  
  
********  
"Mum!" Harlequin Weasley shouted, roaming through the Hogwarts corridors. The new gamekeeper, Nella Maxime, gave her a miffed look and moved her gigantic body over to make room for Harley. Suddenly, Hermione Granger burst out one of the doors and clapped a hand over her mouth before she could shout again.  
  
"Harley! What do you think you're doing? Snape doesn't want you staying at the school during holidays as it is! Do you want to make your father and I lose our jobs?"  
  
Harley pulled away and grinned at her mother. "Mum! It's 10:00 on September 1st! The Hogwarts Express is leaving in an hour!"  
  
Hermione gave her a strange look. "So?" she asked. "And, a few hours after that, the Hogwarts Express will pull in here. What's your point?"  
  
"Well," Harley stalled, looking at her feet. "I wanna be on it!"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Don't be silly, Harley! One, how would you get there, and two, what's the point?"  
  
Harley stared at her mother. "Mum, the point is that everyone makes friends on the Hogwarts Express, and I want to make some friends!"  
  
"And just how do you expect to get there?" Hermione prodded.  
  
"I can go by Floo Powder! There a fireplace at Platform 9 and 3/4 for people to travel by! I won't even have to worry about going through the barrier unnoticed!"  
  
Hermione looked grave, but then she caved. She waved a hand at her daughter. "Go," she sighed.  
  
********  
Within minutes, Harlequin Weasley was at Platform 9 and 3/4 and on the Hogwarts Express. As she moved around the train, she saw her cousins Brandon Weasley and Lauren Carter-Weasley waving at her. She almost moved in the direction, then stopped and sat next to two different kids, who gave mildly surprised looks, then quickly adjusted.  
  
"Hi! I'm Harlequin Weasley, but please call me Harley!" she laughed.  
  
A mulato girl with curly hair glanced at her. "Well, it's nice to meet someone as outgoing as me! I'm Ellie Thomas, and I am pleased to meet you, Harley." Ellie laughed. "This here is Zoe Finnigan, and she is shy!"  
  
Zoe smiled politely at Harley. "Hello."  
  
Ellie poked Zoe. "We were just discussing who the handsomest people are on this train...so far, we've agreed on him." Ellie pointed to a boy with his head buried in a book, listening to a portable headset. "His name's Jordan something, didn't catch the last name. That doesn't matter though. Kee-yute!" Ellie laughed.  
  
Harley glanced at Jordan something. He was definitely cute, but by the look of him, he seemed kind of mean. He had a glare frozen on his face, and he refused to talk to anyone. Harley was staring at him when Ellie suddenly erupted.  
  
"OH MY GOD! Hunk-o-la! 10.9 on the Richter scale, coming this way!" Ellie pointed dreamily at a black-haired boy making his way down the aisle. When Harley saw who it was, she cracked up.  
  
"Oh, that's my cousin, James Potter!"  
  
Zoe suddenly jerked her head out of her magazine and looked around madly. "James Potter? As in Harry Potter's son? You're related to him?"  
  
"Yeah...." Harley said slowly.  
  
Ellie chuckled. "Sure Harley, we believe you!"  
  
"It's true! My dad's sister is his mom!" Harley exclaimed defensively.  
  
Zoe seemed to be in awe. "Wow....you're related to the most famous wizard there is."  
  
Harley laughed. "Lots of people on this train are!" She pointed to her other two cousins. "That's Brandon Weasley and Lauren Carter-Weasley, my two uncle's kids."  
  
Zoe looked at them. "Wow....we're surrounded by famous people!"  
  
Harley laughed. "You don't know the half of it! Brandon and James are both sons of famous Chasers on England's quidditch team!"  
  
Now even Ellie was breathless. "Wow....I'm gonna go get James' autograph!"  
  
"Not before me!" cried Zoe. Harley was cracking up when she saw that both the girls had gone white. "What is it?" Harley asked, then was interrupted.  
  
"Hey, Harley!"  
  
Harley turned around to see her cousin smiling at her. "Oh, hey James!" Beside her, whispering broke out between Ellie and Zoe that sounded suspiciously like, "He's talking to her! No, I don't think he likes her! Are you insane, they're cousins!"  
  
Harley and James laughed. Then James continued. "Say, there's a HUGE compartment in the back, and it's totally empty. I thought maybe you, your friends, Brandon, Lauren and I could all sit back there."  
  
Ellie and Zoe stopped whispering and stared at James with faces like those of deers caught in headlights. Then they both started jabbering. "Of course, oh, we'd love to! Wonderful! Compartment, really? Friends of course! Oh, yes!" Then they both turned to James and said in unison. "We'd love to!"  
  
Harley and James cracked up, then Harley grabbed her carry-on and some of her stuff and moved back with everyone else close behind. However, when they got there, they found it was not totally empty.  
  
"Who are you people?" demanded the kid so far known only as Jordan something. Brandon, who was two years older than all of them, sneered at him.   
  
"Hello, Malfoy!"  
  
"Malfoy...is that your last name?" asked Ellie sweetly.  
  
"Shut up, Mudblood," Jordan sneered and returned to his book.  
  
Ellie looked stunned, but everyone else just looked angry. "How dare you!" shouted James. "You take that back!"  
  
Ellie suddenly shouted at him. "I most certainly am NOT a mud-er, muggle-born! My dad's a wizard, and a far better one than your father!"  
  
"I suppose that's why my Dad's Minister, eh, Thomas? What does your dad do again? Oh, that's right, he's a restaurant owner. Yes, an excellent wizard, I'm sure." Jordan smirked at her and went back to his book.  
  
Ellie somehow managed to keep her composure, and she laughed at Jordan. "That's right, and my pop makes the best pizza pie and brews the best butterbeer in the whole country! Oh, and I know of the family Malfoy....your grandfather was a Death Eater, and your father was about to become one? Well, this boy..." she smiled, gesturing to James, "Is the son of Harry Potter, who brought an end to Voldemort and all his Death Eaters." She laughed. "Pretty hard to beat that, Malfoy."  
  
Jordan looked at them angrily. "I wasn't defending my father!" he shouted angrily, and grabbed his book and ran from the compartment. Ellie smirked and closed the door behind him.  
  
Harley gave Malfoy's retreating back a puzzled look. "I wonder what his problem is?"  
  
"No matter!" Brandon laughed. "He's always got problems! Ellie, that's your name, right?" Ellie nodded. "Ellie, you are amazing! We ought to hire you as a professional jerk assassin!"  
  
Ellie smiled at Brandon and stretched on the couch. "That's me all right! Take that, idiots of the world!"  
  
Then, all around them, conversations started. Lauren and Zoe found out that they both had learned magic ahead and were practicing new charms in the corner. Brandon and Ellie were talking to each other, Brandon explaining about how Lauren and his fathers shared a joke shop, and he was showing her a couple of his fathers pranks, her laughing and clapping away. Harley and James sat in the middle, catching up on things. And slowly, almost surreally, the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station.  
  
NOTE: Please remember, I need title suggestions for the series and this part of the series.   
  



	2. Bitter Love

Thomas Hawthorne looked all around him. His head was throbbing, a smell of gasoline invaded his nostrils, but worse than that, he couldn't move! Looking down, Thomas saw that he had been tied to a chair. And standing in front of him, twirling a gun in one hand and holding his wand in the other, was Marielle.

"Marielle, darling! What's wrong? Why am I tied up like th-" Thomas stopped abruptly as he recalled what he had seen just before he blacked out. "Marielle....it was you...Why?"

Marielle sighed and leveled the gun at her husband's forehead. "I want one thing of you Thomas, and maybe I'll let you live...I want you to give me your powers. Don't lie to me, I looked it up in your books and I know you can do it!" She handed him his wand and gave him a sweet smile. "And don't try anything funny, or a bullet goes through your head!"

Thomas stared at his wand. Quite frankly, he was frightened of his wife right now. Ever since Ben had died, Marielle had not been in the best of mental health. He thought it over, then decided he had no choice. As soon as Marielle left he would notify the Ministry and they would track her down.

"ZRESQUARIUM OVERICUS!" Thomas shouted, and immediately began to feel strange. There was a draining sensation crawling all over his body, and when it was over 5 seconds later, Thomas lapsed into a tired faint.

Marielle laughed, grabbed his wand, and pointed it at Thomas' unconscious body. "Petrificus totalus," she said mischeviously, and chuckled as Thomas' arms snapped to his side in the body bind. She grabbed her suitcase and walked out the door, then poked her head back in.

"I almost forgot," she said sweetly to her husbands motionless body. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a match, struck it on the wall, then dropped it into the puddle of gasoline she had poured by the doorway. As the flames caught and licked around the house, Marielle let out a cackle. "Sweet dreams, dearest!" she cried, and with a wave of Thomas' wand, she disappeared.

********

"I would like ze first years over 'ere!" shouted Nella Maxime, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. "First years, thees way please!"

Brandon and Lauren walked off towards the castle, Brandon waving cheerfully at Ellie, who giggled and waved back. Jordan Malfoy pushed huffily past Harley, continuing towards the castle with his hands in his pockets and his head looking at the ground. Harley gave him a quick look of disapproval, then caught up with her cousin.

"Hey, Harley, check out the squid!" James shouted.

"Where?" cried Zoe, darting her head all around.

James laughed as they got into a boat, and pointed out the tentacles of the squid to Zoe. As they crossed the lake Harley looked up at the sky and was reminded of a fading bruise. Ellie saw what she was looking at and sighed. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Harley gave a slight nod. "I can't wait to be at school....I think the year is going to very interesting!"

Ellie laughed. "Especially for me! My mum's a muggle, and she was very angry when she found out dad was a wizard. But, by that time, she was pregnant with me, and they decided to stay together! But, my mum didn't let me use or learn any magic. She didn't even want me to go to Hogwarts! But my dad put his foot down. It's his alma mater, you know!"

Harley smiled. "It's gonna be pretty hard for me, too. Both my parents are teaching. Do you know how annoying that is? And also, you didn't hear it from me, but the headmaster is a complete git. His name is Snape, and he's just awful! He despises my mum and dad."

Suddenly, the boat came to a stop and they all crowded inside the entrance hall, following that monstrous gamekeeper. ("What's with the tall lady?" Zoe asked.) Suddenly, Harley heard her name being called, and she jerked her head around. "Oh, hi, mum," she replied, a little disappointed.

"I'm glad to see you made it all right, jester! Did you make any friends?" Hermione asked.

"Mum, don't embarass me," Harley whispered, and Hermione turned a light color of pink and bristled. Harley sighed, and continued. "Um, mum, this is Ellie Thomas and Zoe Finnigan. Guys, this is my mum. She teaches transfiguration at the school." Ellie and Zoe both solemnly shook Hermione's hand, then Hermione began to hustle everyone into the Great Hall. "We're about to be sorted," Zoe whispered to Ellie, who gave a confused look and kept walking.

One by one, they were all called forward to try on a hat who would shout out which of the four houses they would go to. Harley was sure she'd be put in Gryffindor, so she was slightly upset when she saw Zoe had been put in Ravenclaw. After Zoe came "Kregore, William," "Lamkey, George," "Lenore, Alice" "Means, Ben" "Meyer, Carrie" and "O'Neil, Sarah" before James went up. 

"Potter, James!" called Hermione, giving James a big smile. That wasn't what had caught Harley's attention though. At the mention of her cousin's name, that Headmaster, Snape, seemed to have gone into shock. His face was ashen, his eyes were open and staring. He was murmuring something, "It can't be, it can't be..." it looked like. Harley stared at him for a while, transfixed, and she let out a little cry as the hat suddenly shouted "GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!"

Soon there were only a few people left. Ellie walked up nervously and tried the hat on. When it shouted "GRYFFINDOR" she glanced at the Gryffindor table, caught Brandon and James' eye, then grinned a VERY wide grin. 

When at last Harley was sorted, she too was put in Gryffindor, and she ran over to join the others. She saw Zoe at the Ravenclaw table, and tried to wave, when Harley saw who Zoe was talking with. Jordan Malfoy. Harley's mouth dropped open. He certainly had seemed mean enough to be a Slytherin, but now he and Zoe were talking animatedly. Harley shook her head and returned her attention to the table, which had suddenly filled with food. Harley smiled. Yes, she liked this school, all right!

********

Seamus Finnigan was busy opening mail when she walked in. His desk was covered in a flurry of envelopes, and owls were coming in through the doors and windows. One of them had made a hole in the wall, and they were coming through that, too. It was no wonder he didn't notice as the lady walked in. She was quiet, and simply took a seat and waited. That is until an owl dropped a Howler on her head without her even noticing.....until it exploded.

Feathers flew everywhere, the woman was screaming, and her beautiful hair was charred. Seamus noticed that. "Oh damn!" he shouted. "These people are always sending me letters. Miss? Are you all right, miss? I'm sorry about that!"

The woman looked in a daze. "What....was....that?" she asked.

Seamus laughed. "Miss, you have just suffered the wrath of a forty year old woman who doesn't like what I said about the beautiful Aaron Lockhart, Heart Throb Extraordinnaire! I knew his father at school, and they are exactly alike!" Seamus sniffed angrily, then smiled. "Well, anyways, I am Seamus Finnigan, editor of the Daily Prophet and recent divorcee. How may I help you? If you're single, then I can really help you!" he laughed.

For the first time, the woman smiled. "My name is Mary Hawkins. And I'm looking for a job as a reporter."

********

James smiled at his Aunt Hermione. He had only met her twice, but even then he could tell that she was a real strict person. It was very evident in her classes.

"Mr. Potter!" Hermione yelled. They had double transfiguration with the Ravenclaws that day, and they were trying to turn a matchbox into a book. James had tired of that, and had been trying to turn Jordan Malfoy's wand into a snake for the past 10 minutes before Hermione caught him.

Hermione walked over to Harry's table. "Hmmm..." she murmured. "Well, Mr. Potter...it seems you decided to have your own lesson, hmm?" She grabbed Jordan's wand, which was now covered in scales, did a quick charm to change it back, then handed it back to Jordan. "First! You will make a written apology to Mr. Malfoy, to be read in front of the class tomorrow! Second, you will continue with the lesson, and heaven help you if you're not finished by the end of the class. Third, there will be 10 points taken from Gryffindor!" Hermione almost shouted. The entire class was looking at him, and James blushed a deep red. 

"But Aunt Hermione..." he started.

"Don't you Aunt Hermione me!" she shouted back. The class burst into giggles, with Jordan Malfoy practically dying of hysterics. "I'm Professor GRANGER to you James, and don't forget it!"

James blushed again and reached for his wand. He stared at the matchbox angrily, realizing that he had not been paying attention when "Professor Granger" explained how to do it. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"James-" Harley began.

"Get away from me, Harlequin," James muttered angrily. 

Harley gave him an angry look. "It's your own fault! If you had been doing your work instead of being a jerk to Jordan, Mom wouldn't have had to punish you!"

"You're just like her, Harlequin," James hissed. "Now get away from me."

Harley gave him a sad look and opened her mouth to reply, but then shrugged and walked away. James gave her back an angry look and returned to staring at the matchbox.

********

"Harley!" someone called, but Harley ignored them as she stormed down the corridors. She was not in the mood to talk.

"Harley!!!" the voice called again, but Harley still ignored them. It was probably James, wanting to apologize. Well, he was not going to get to apologize!

"HARLEY!!!!" the voice screamed, and another voice said, "Two points from Gryffindor for all ze screaming in ze 'alls!" Finally, Harley whirled around.

"What?" she asked, and was surprised to see Ellie come running up to her breathlessly.

"Oh, Ellie, I'm sorry I didn't see you! What is it?" Harley asked.

Ellie sighed. "I'm sorry that James blew up at you and all, but it was kind of embarassing for him...and he was just getting Malfoy back for being such a jerk to me on the train!" Ellie gave a sigh and batted her eyes dreamily.

Harley laughed. "But what about Brandon, Ellie?" Ellie waved a hand dismissively, and Harley chuckled. "How many hearts have you broken?" she asked.

Ellie smiled and pretended to count her fingers and toes. "Hmmmmm...." she murmured, and then proceeded to count Harley's fingers, causing Harley to start laughing again.

Ellie smiled. "Besides, if James hadn't done it first, I might have! After all, Malfoy is such a jerk!"

"No, he's not," a quiet voice murmured behind them.

"ZOE!" Ellie shouted. "Glad to see you back in the real world! How're things going in brainland?" she laughed.

Harley smacked her. "Hey, Lauren is in Ravenclaw!" she grinned.

Zoe stared at Ellie. "Jordan isn't a jerk. And don't let me here you call him that again!" she spoke furiously, her voice trembling.

Ellie feinted shock. "Dear me, Zoe has lost her mind from hanging out with those brainiacs too much! Of course he's a jerk, darling, didn't you hear what he said to me on the train?" She slung an arm playfully around Zoe's shoulder, but Zoe pushed it off.

"Maybe if you people hadn't been such jerks on the train, he wouldn't have acted that way," Zoe defended, then sighed. "I have to go now," she muttered, and scurried away.

"Wey-ell, that would definitely count as strange," Ellie said. "Oh well....we'll get her to come to her senses later. What class is next?"

Harley, who had been looking after Zoe, snapped back to reality. "Oh, it's my favorite! It's Potions, and my dad teaches it!"

Ellie smiled. "Too cool. So we make like magic drinks or something?"

Harley nodded. "Yeah, it's like cooking, only with a magical twist."

Ellie hooked her arm around Harley's. "Sounds delightful. Shall we make our entrance?"

"We shall," Harley giggled, and walked with Ellie into the classroom.

********

"Excuse me? Severus Snape? Is there a Severus Snape here?" the woman called, her Daily Prophet badge pinned to her robes at an angle.

"Yes?" Snape sneered as he walked out into the corridor. "And how may I help you?" he asked sarcastically.

The woman stuck out her hand and grinned at Snape. "Why, hello, Mr. Snape! I'm Mary Hawkins, Daily Prophet reporter! I'm here to do a wizard interest story on the job you're doing as Headmaster!" Mary smiled a very beautiful smile. "And I hear you are doing simply marvelous job." 

Snape melted. "Oh....now, I wouldn't say that..." he stammered. "I just do the best I can. Nothing special!"

The woman chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder as Snape blushed furiously. "Oh, don't put yourself down! I hear you are doing excellent! You've really got this school into shape!"

Snape gave her a dopey grin. "Miss, I assume it is Miss, right?" Mary gave a demure nod. "Well, Miss Hawkins, why don't you step into my office and I can give you an interview!"

********

Harley hurried out of the potions classroom just in time for her and Ellie to see Snape and the woman depart into his office. 

"Good God!" shouted Ellie. "Has the world gone mad?"

Harley quickly clamped a hand over Ellie's mouth as Snape glanced in their direction then disappeared with Mary into his office. When the coast was clear, Harley removed her hand and gaped at the corridors where the two had just been.

Ellie shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "I can't have just seen that old git with that beautiful woman. I mean, that lady can't even be 30 yet! What's Snape, 50?"

"60," corrected Harley.

"Even worse!" cried Ellie. "We have got to warn that lady!" With that, she started after them.

"Now wait a minute!" shouted Harley. "Just because Snape is with a woman doesn't mean they're going out! I saw she had a notebook and quill. She's probably a reporter or something."

Ellie relaxed. "I suppose you're right. But still, it's not good for Snape to be around that girl!"

Harley sighed and pulled Ellie towards the Great Hall.

********

That night at dinner the woman was sitting at the High Table with Snape. Harley could see her Daily Prophet badge clearly.

"See?" she whispered to Ellie. "I told you she was a reporter. She'd have to be nuts to go out with Snape!"

Ellie however, didn't seem to be listening. She was gawking at the High Table. "B-better call St. Mungo's then," she stuttered. Harley whirled around and nearly screamed when she saw the beautiful woman kissing Snape passionately.

"Good God...." Ellie whispered, then plunked into her seat still staring at the two.

Harley was also staring at the two as she sat down, and she didn't even notice where she was sitting.

"WATCH IT!" yelled a voice angrily.

Harley jumped as if she'd been goosed, then blushed furiously. She had sat in Jordan Malfoy's lap! He sat there glaring at her. 

"S-sorry, Jordan," she muttered. She noticed Zoe was throwing her dirty looks, and tried to avoid her eyes.

"You better be! This is the Ravenclaw table! Go sit with the Gryffindors," Jordan sneered.

Harley scampered over and sat across from Ellie, who was laughing like mad.

"Did you see Zoe's face? That's proof, she's got a crush on Malfoy!" Ellie cackled. "Careful, Harley, you two might have to duel over him!!!!"

Harley flashed an angry look at Ellie to shut her up. "That was NOT funny!" she insisted, and dug into her dinner. Suddenly, Snape stood up.

"Students, I would like to introduce you to Miss Mary Hawkins. She is a reporter for the Daily Prophet, and she will be staying at the school for a few days. She has requested to stay with the Gryffindor students, and I expect that you will treat her with utmost courtesy!" He threw a glare Harley's way, and she ducked under the table.

"Cold," Ellie muttered. "So why do you suppose that lady wants to stay with the Gryffindors? It seems that if she was so into Snape, she'd be with the Slytherins!"

"I have no clue," murmured Harley, as she stared at the woman. The woman was also staring, or actually glaring, at the Gryffindor table. Specifically, at James Potter.

********

That night, Harley and Ellie stayed late in the common room, whispering about the woman.

"I don't trust her!" Harley insisted. "She can't like Snape. He's the ugliest, meanest person on the earth! And she's so beautiful...I think she's using him!"

Ellie yawned and stretched her arms. "I don't know, maybe she has a fetish for old ugly people. My mom made me go to muggle school for a while, and I knew this girl who thought Jack Nicholson was HOT!"

Harley stared at her.

"He's a really old, really ugly American star."

Harley sighed. "I doubt it. I think that woman's up to something, and I'm gonna find out what!"

Ellie yawned again. "You do that. I'm gonna go to bed. Have fun," she said sleepily as she walked up the staircase to their dorm.

Harley sighed and crept out of the common room.

********

Harley was creeping down the halls when she heard the scritch-scritching of a quill and froze.

_Scritch....scritch...._

"He is here," the woman murmured as she wrote. "Journal, revenge will soon......mine!"

Harley gave a slight gasp as she listened, then scooted closer. She was heading towards the woman's door when she suddenly banged into something.

"**_Watch it_**!" a familiar voice hissed. Harley looked up and was shocked when she saw Jordan's face sneering back at her.

"You!" Harley cried, forgetting that she was supposed to be quiet. The scritching immediately stopped, and there was a scrape along the floor as someone got out of a chair.

"Who's there?" called the woman.

"GO!!!" hissed Jordan, and pushed Harley with all his might towards the staircases. Stumbling backwards, Harley got ahold of herself, and she and Jordan bolted, while the woman peered curiously out her door then went back inside.

When they were sure they were safe, Harley stopped and turned to Jordan. 

"Someone's in danger," they said together.

"We need to find out who she's after," Jordan murmured.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Harley accused. "You're probably as dark as she is!"

Jordan sneered at her. "Oh, shut up! Honestly, are you that narrow-minded to think that I am my father? Or even take after him? Honestly, I hate that man! Why do you think I'm in Ravenclaw?"

Harley paused, then looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Well, there's no time to be sorry! We have more important issues at hand!" Jordan snapped, and began to pace.

********

Harry was changing Marie's diaper and Ginny was cooking dinner when the doorbell rang several times in rapid succession. They exchanged curious glances, and Ginny went to answer the door. Harry finished with Marie and followed Ginny into the living room, and suddenly grew very frightened at what he saw.

There was a man in the doorway, with a bit of a beard on him, hair that hadn't been washed in about two weeks, a dirty face, and holey clothes. Ginny was sobbing and trying to push the door closed, but the man was forcing his way in. Suddenly the man threw the door open, and Ginny went staggering. She quickly regained her balance and ran towards Harry.

"Take Marie, Ginny," Harry murmured, "I'll handle this."

Ginny grabbed Marie and ran for the back of the house, and Harry reached for his wand and prepared to curse the stranger.

"No, don't!" the man shouted, and Harry hesitated.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes off the man or lowering his wand.

"I'm Thomas Hawthorne, husband to a deranged murderer," the man chuckled, but Harry only stiffened. The man stopped immediately and continued. "I'm sorry, but I think you and your family may be in danger."

"What are you talking about?" hissed Harry.

"It started 6 months ago, in the hospital. My wife had just given birth to our baby...."

********

"I think she might be after your son," Thomas finished. Harry's face was pale.

"Ginny!" he called.

Ginny poked her face out from their bedroom, then slowly came out into the living room, all the while staring at the dirty man seated so casually on their couch. "What is it, Harry?" she asked timidly.

"I'm going to Hogwarts for a while. This is Thomas Hawthorne. He'll be staying here while I'm gone," Harry said quickly, and began heading out the door.

"Wait, wha-" Ginny began, but Harry whirled around.

"Don't ask questions!" he hissed, then suddenly realized how much he sounded like the Durseey's. "James may be in danger. I'm going to go to Hogwarts. This man, Thomas, is going to protect you while I'm gone. Trust him."

"Oh Harry," Ginny murmured, and kissed him. "Please, don't hurt yourself."

"Goodbye, Ginny," Harry whispered, and disappeared out the door.


	3. Death of the Pure

Ellie was trying to sleep when Harley jostled her awake.

"Mrff...what is it?" Ellie sighed as she sat up.

"It's that woman!" Harley shouted, her face flush as a rose.

"What woman?" asked Ellie, confused.

Harley was dragging Ellie out of bed and down the stairs to the commonroom now. "That woman! The one that likes Snape so much! She's going to hurt someone! And I think it might be James!"

At James' name, Ellie woke up. "What? What makes you think that?"

"Well, I saw her glaring angrily at James the other day! And she wanted to stay in the 6th year girls dorm, which is the closest girls dorm to the first year boys!" Harley was out of breath, but she somehow managed to also explain what she had heard that night.

Ellie sighed. "Oh Harley, come off it! You're jumping to conclusions! Go back to bed!"

"I am not!" Harley insisted. "I swear it, that woman is up to no good! She's going to hurt James! We have to warn him!"

Ellie yawned, then headed back towards their dorm. "Fine, we'll warn him tomorrow!"

Harley yanked her back down the stairs. "Tomorrow might be too late! We're warning him tonight!" With that, she dragged Ellie towards the first year boys dorm.

Ellie dug her heels into the ground and wrenched free of Harley's grasp. "Are you crazy?" she hissed. "We can't go in there! And we definitely can't go in there at 3 in the morning!" 

But Harley didn't seem to hear her as she flung open the door. Sighing, Ellie followed her into the room and peered through the coverings on James' bed.

James was gone.

********

James crept silently through the forest. He too had found out about Miss Hawkins, and had followed her to the Forbidden Forest.

"_James...."_ a voice whispered, and he jerked around to find Miss Hawkins right behind him.

"Who are you?" James asked, trembling.

"I am the mother of the child your father murdered!" Miss Hawkins screamed, pulling a wand from her cloak. James ducked instinctively.

"You're a liar!" James called. "My father wouldn't hurt anyone!"

Miss Hawkins shook her head. "I suppose that's why he brutally murdered a baby who was less than a day old with this foolish witchcraft!"

James paused, then stood up straighter. "That's not true! I know my father, he wouldn't do that!"

Miss Hawkins sighed. "Your voice annoys me, child." She solemnly raised the wand. "Now I am going to take from your father what he took from me....AVADA KEDAVRA!" she screamed.

"NO!" a voice shouted, and James stumbled as something pushed him out of the way. The green light cleared and James gasped as he saw his savior.

"P-professor Snape?" James asked.

Snape lay with his eyes, half-closed, breathing haggardly. "Only...hit...with recoil..." Snape struggled with the words, his eyes rolling crazily in their sockets. "D-dying!" he gasped.

"Don't speak!" James whispered. "I'll go get Madame Pomfrey!" James began to stand up, but Snape's hand clamped angrily down on his collar and pulled him close.

"No!" Snape whispered. "James....so sorry....I was jealous....wanted to join you...Sirius...Remus.....I'm sorry.......I hope.....this makes...up for it..." Snape slumped, and his eyes stopped their movement.

James stared at his professor, confused. Sirius? Remus? Who were they?

"Ahem," a voice sounded behind him. Miss Hawkins! He had forgotten about her! James spun around, frightened.

"Better this way. That old git was so ugly I nearly retched when I had to kiss him," Miss Hawkins laughed and raised her wand again. "Well, second time's the charm!"

"Marielle!" a loud voice barked. Marielle/Mary Hawkins turned around and gave an angry screech. 

Harry Potter stood there, wand poised to attack. "Marielle Hawthorne, I'm warning you! Put the wand down!"

Marielle ignored him and turned back to James. "REVENGE IS MINE!" she screeched. "AVA-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" cried Harry, faster than Marielle, and the green light began rushing towards her. But, suddenly, it wasn't green light racing towards her. Marielle had disappeared, and now a bright white light was rushing towards James, racing the green light. It weaved back and forth, trying to escape, but the green light was gaining quickly.

James gave a little cry, too petrified to move. The white light was getting closer...10 feet away...7 feet....5 feet....2 feet.... James screamed as the white light bore down on him, blinding him, knocking him over.

Suddenly, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. James, laying flat on his back on the ground, warily opened his eyes and sat up. There, at his feet, was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. A unicorn, young and beautiful, lay at his feet, looking peaceful in it's death. James noticed, with mild curiosity, that one of it horns had been broken off.

Slowly, Harry Potter walked over, removing something from his pocket. James watched in awe as Harry kneeled next to the dead unicorn and fit the unicorn tip onto it's broken horn. "She was part-unicorn," Harry whispered. "Oh, Marielle, he was your child! I-I-I'm so sorry!" Harry buried his face in the unicorn's fur, and James knelt beside him.

****

A/N: All right, I know that sucked. This story started off good, then just got worse and worse. I'm sorry! Right after I wrote that first part I had another great story idea, and I got tired of this. Unfortunately, I had made a commitment, so I've just been trying to get through this. Feel free to flame me! I love reviews, good or bad! Stay tuned for a story about a character named Megria!


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